The Necker Nymph is a personal submersible designed by Hawkes Ocean Technologies that allows up to three people to essentially ‘fly’ underwater. The sub, which is the first of the company’s DeepFlight Merlin-class crafts – the fifth generation of winged submersibles it has built – is owned by Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Oceanic programme and operates off Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands.

The Nymph is arguably the most advanced personal submersible in the world for a good reason. It combines the most state-of-the-art technologies available right now into an open cockpit marine craft capable of literally soaring through the ocean.

From advanced construction materials, such as the reinforced carbon fibre used in the chassis, through to the unique positive buoyancy system that allows the craft to always return to the surface – even in the event of a power failure – the Nymph is one of a kind. The submersible also boasts some clever computing tech in the shape of the Flight and Navigation Computer (FAN-C) with a heads-up graphic display that automatically maintains optimal depth range and diving speeds.

Thanks to these features, as well as its cutting-edge mechanical linkage controls and powerful 48-volt lithium phosphate power supply, the Nymph is even capable of extreme hydrobatic manoeuvres, easily performing 360-degree rolls and loops, for instance.